Pastina Soup is brothy, satisfying, and really easy too! Also called Italian Penicillin, this nourishing soup recipe will remedy no matter ails you. Heat up and really feel higher with a scrumptious bowl of soup that feeds the physique and soul.


There’s been a minimum of one particular person in my household sick at any given second over the previous three months, which suggests I’ve made extra batches of Pastina Soup, aka Italian Penicillin, then I can rely!
My children and I’ve even developed a chant we sing time and again as I scoop ladlefuls of steaming broth into their bowls:
“Sewp! Sewp! We. Love. Sewp!“
Perhaps you needed to be there.
Whether or not you’re sick, effectively, or someplace in between, you’re going to like every spoonful of this brothy, nourishing, EASY soup. It’s like liquid gold!


Pastina — aka Italian Penicillin — Soup
Pastina Soup is a tackle Hen Noodle Soup. Just like the soul-satisfying traditional, this model requires broth, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, plus recent and dried herbs, and pasta. Not like typical rooster soup although, the greens are boiled then blended into the broth which supplies the soup a little bit physique.
Pastina Soup additionally goes by the identify “Italian Penicillin” as a result of it’s the BEST while you’ve bought a head chilly or the flu and wish one thing comforting and nourishing that takes little or no effort to make.
What’s Pastina?
Pastina refers to small pasta shapes and interprets to: “little pasta” in Italian. Acini di pepe and orzo are varieties of pastina, and Barilla even sells mini star pasta they label as “pastina”.
All that mentioned, I really like utilizing Jovial model gluten free “stelline” pasta which is tiny star-shaped pasta made with brown rice. They work completely on this recipe.


Substances Wanted
This soup recipe falls into “the sum is bigger than its components” class, that means it requires on a regular basis components which mix to make one thing spectacular. Right here’s what you’ll want:
- Hen inventory or bone broth: I really like utilizing do-it-yourself rooster inventory as the bottom of this soup, in any other case Kirkland (Costco) model rooster inventory is my store-bought go-to. Should you’re actually below the climate, bone broth is improbable for pumping up the diet and protein within the soup.
- Mirepoix: carrots, celery, and shallot or onion present plenty of taste and diet.
- Garlic: I’m a garlic lover and have examined this recipe with a head of garlic, all the best way right down to 2 cloves, and like the delicate taste of a pair garlic cloves.
- Contemporary thyme: provides a lot taste. I extremely suggest recent, however dried will do in a pinch.
- Bay leaf: infuses the broth with taste.
- Parmesan cheese rind: if you happen to don’t already, inventory your freezer with a Ziplock bag of parmesan cheese rinds to drop into soup recipes like this one. It’s SHOCKING how a lot taste they add! Discover parmesan cheese rinds on the speciality cheese counter at your grocery retailer.
- Further virgin olive oil: a drizzle added to the soup pot gives taste and a contact of wanted fats.
- Salt and pepper: seasons the soup.
- Lemon: a small drizzle added on the finish wakens and brightens the soup. Just like the parmesan cheese rind, this can be a should.
- Pastina: once more, I like to recommend Jovial model stelline pasta which is gluten free.
Customise Your Pastina Soup
It is a tremendous straight ahead soup recipe that’s straightforward, excellent as written, and largely arms off. That mentioned, be at liberty to decorate it up a bit, if you want!
- Add protein: pump up the protein by including diced or shredded rooster. Leftover rotisserie, baked, or Air Fried rooster work completely.
- Add warmth: a pinch or extra of crimson chili pepper flakes is particularly welcome when you might have the sniffles.
- Add taste: I LOVE including a drizzle of truffle oil to my bowl simply earlier than digging in.
Alright, lets get you some Pastina Soup to assuage the abdomen and soul!


Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia
Tips on how to Make Pastina Soup
Step 1: Prep the greens.
Begin by slicing the ends off then peeling a small yellow onion (or giant shallot), cleansing then trimming a pair ribs of celery, and peeling a pair small/medium-sized carrots.


Roughly chop all of the veggies into hunks. I LOVE that you simply don’t should take the time to finely chop or slice the veggies on this recipe which might really feel like quite a lot of effort, particularly while you’re sick.


Step 2: Boil the greens in broth.
Add the chopped greens to a big soup pot or Duch oven with rooster inventory or rooster bone broth, recent thyme, a bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, salt, pepper, and drizzle of further virgin olive oil.
Place a lid on prime then flip the warmth to excessive to deliver the liquid to a boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth right down to low then simmer till the greens are very tender, 20-Half-hour.


Step 3: Mix the greens.
As soon as the greens are very tender, take away the parmesan cheese rind, thyme stems, and bay leaf from the pot then switch the greens to a high-speed blender with a ladleful or two of broth.
Mix till the greens are very easy then pour the puree again into the soup pot and stir to mix. I like so as to add almost all of the pureed greens into the pot as a result of I don’t just like the broth to turn out to be too thick. Be at liberty so as to add kind of to get your broth to your required consistency.
Recipe Tip
If in case you have an immersion blender you possibly can mix the veggies proper within the pot!


Step 4: Season the soup.
Add a squeeze of recent lemon juice — the soup shouldn’t style lemony, simply brightened — then style and add extra salt and pepper if needed.
That’s it! Place a lid on prime of the pot to maintain it heat whilst you cook dinner the pastina.


Step 5: Cook dinner the pastina.
Boil the pastina in a pot of salted, boiling water based on the bundle instructions then drain and return to the pot.


These little stars are so satisfying to eat. I simply love them!


Divvy the cooked pastina between bowls then prime with the steaming soup and end with a flourish of freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. A recent loaf of Gluten Free Focaccia, or basket of heat Gluten Free Biscuits are the right crowning glory.
Leftovers preserve effectively within the fridge for 3-5 days, and/or freeze superbly for as much as 3 months. That mentioned, preserve the cooked pasta and broth separate when storing within the fridge or freezer.
Whether or not you’re below the climate or in good well being — you’ll love each final drop of this soup satisfying soup. Take pleasure in!


Extra Nourishing Soup Recipes
- 8 cups rooster inventory or bone broth
- 2 small-medium sized carrots, peeled then roughly chopped
- 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
- 1 giant shallot OR small yellow onion, peeled then roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled then smashed
- 2-3 sprigs recent thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parmesan cheese rind
- drizzle further virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- 8 oz gluten free stelline pasta, Jovial model really useful, see notes
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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To a big soup pot or Dutch oven add the rooster inventory or bone broth, carrots, celery, onion/shallots, garlic, recent thyme, bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, further virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place a lid on prime then flip the warmth to excessive to deliver the liquid to a boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth right down to low then simmer with the lid on for 20-Half-hour or till the greens are very tender.
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Take away the thyme stems, bay leaf, and parmesan cheese rind then switch the cooked greens right into a blender. Add a ladleful of broth then mix till the greens are very, very easy. Be aware: make sure you crack the lid of the blender open to permit steam to flee. Pour some or the entire pureed greens again into the soup then stir to mix. Alternatively you should utilize an immersion blender to puree the greens within the pot.
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Add a squeeze of recent lemon juice — the soup shouldn’t style lemony, simply brightened — then style and add extra salt and pepper to style. Place a lid on prime to maintain the soup heat whilst you cook dinner the pasta.
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Cook dinner the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water based on bundle instructions then drain and divide between bowls. Scoop the soup over the cooked pasta then serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.
- I like to recommend Jovial model gluten free stelline pasta for this soup. Should you don’t have to eat gluten free, you should utilize mini stars or acini di pepe.
- I like so as to add ~3/4 of the pureed greens again into the broth as a result of I like this soup on the thinner aspect. Be at liberty so as to add kind of relying in your preferences.
Energy: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 11g, Fats: 5g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 2g, Ldl cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 476mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 142IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
Dietary values are estimates solely. Please learn our full diet info disclaimer.


Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin